The present invention relates to dosimeter devices for monitoring food irradiation.
In the food industry, it has long been the practice to inhibit food spoilage and destroy or neutralize harmful impurities, such as bacteria and insects, by the addition or application of chemicals. However as evidence of the harmful effect of the additive chemicals themselves accumulates, other techniques for achieving these results have begun to be investigated.
One promising alternative to chemical additives is irradiation. Studies conducted to date indicate that this technique can achieve good levels of deinfestation, preservation, and shelflife extension, while no harmful side effects have been detected.
This technique is already being utilized in the U.S. for treating spices and it is expected to be adopted in the near future for certain processed meat products. It is likely that irradiation will soon be authorized for fresh fruits and vegetables.
Government approval of irradiation processes will be strongly dependent on the availability of techniques for accurately determining the total radiation dose received by the foodstuff to assure that it will be safe for human consumption.
Regulations governing allowable radiation doses will in all probability be based on the average radiation dose received by large bulk volumes of the foodstuff. One possibility for monitoring average dose values would be to submerge an appropriate sensor within the bulk volume, the sensor being separated from the radiation source by a predetermined distance.